Spring Statement: Families in Lewes to pay the price for Rishi Sunak's failure – says Liberal Democrat candidate for the area

The Liberal Democrats have criticised the Government's Spring Statement as a "massive missed opportunity" to help families in the Lewes district.

This response comes after the Chancellor Rishi Sunak gave his Spring Statement to the House of Commons on March 23, 2022, announcing the government's strategy to tackling the national cost of living crisis.

Mr Sunak has been under pressure to help households with the cost of living squeeze, with prices rising 6.2% in the 12 months to February - the quickest for 30 years.

The chancellor announced he would cut fuel duty by 5p per litre until March 2023 and raise the threshold at which people start paying National Insurance to £12,570 in July. He also pledged to cut the basic rate of income tax before the next general election.

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Lewes, James MacCleary, said: "People across our community were looking to Rishi Sunak for a helping hand in facing this once in a generation cost of living crisis. Eye-watering price hikes are leaving many in our area struggling to make ends meet. People using trains have been hammered by years of increases in prices. Our rural communities are facing huge bills to heat their homes, as heating oil has been left out of price caps.

"This was crunch time for the Chancellor and the Conservatives, and they haven't stepped up to the mark. It's families in Seaford, Newhaven and beyond who they have clobbered with unfair tax hikes who will pay the price for this massive missed opportunity."

The Lib Dems have called for the standard rate of VAT to be reduced from 20% to 17.5% for one year

The party said its plans would support the economy by boosting spending on local high streets. The Lib Dems claimed the proposals would also be expected to keep inflation down by making the prices of everyday items lower than they would have been.

Mr MacCleary continued: “Rishi Sunak should stop putting his pride over people, scrap his punishing tax hikes, and back Liberal Democrat calls for an emergency cut to VAT. This would put £17,880,000 back into the pockets of 29,800 in our area and support our local shops, cafes and restaurants.”

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